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Nation's Former No. 1 QB Recruit Benched by Second Major College Football Program
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- Nation's Former No. 1 QB Recruit Benched by Second Major College Football Program
When Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers brought in Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold , it was viewed as a potential chance for redemption for all involved. Auburn was hoping to end its streak of four straight losing seasons, while Arnold had a chance to prove that Oklahoma made a mistake by benching him at one point last season.
Once ranked as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the class of 2023 by ESPN , Arnold and the Tigers started the season off 3-0 and even climbed as high as No. 22 in the AP Poll. However, the Tigers went on to lose four straight before ending their losing streak this past weekend against Arkansas .
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Despite throwing for 1,263 yards and six touchdowns to just two interceptions on the season , Freeze decided to yank Arnold following an 89-yard pick-six with under a minute remaining in the first half.
Although most fans were hoping the team would turn to five-star freshman Deuce Knight , Freeze opted to plug in Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels . While Daniels didn't necessarily dazzle, he did finish the game having completed 6-of-8 passes for 77 yards, while rushing for another 35, a performance that has earned him an expanded role.
Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) runs the ball.© Chris Jones-Imagn Images
As reported by ESPN's Pete Thamel, Freeze has decided to start Daniels in the team's Week 10 game against Kentucky .
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"Auburn is starting Ashton Daniels against Kentucky tomorrow," wrote Thamel. "Auburn coach Hugh Freeze just informed the team of the decision."
While this is Daniels' first start at Auburn, he was the starting quarterback at Stanford for the past two years. At Stanford, he threw for 4,063 yards with 21 touchdowns and 20 interceptions, while rushing for another nine scores.
Saturday's game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and air on the SEC Network.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
